Machine tool spindle drive and feed control device



March 13, SEN

MACHINE TOOL SPINDLE DRIVE AND FEED CONTROL DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1945 Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE MACHINE TOOL SPINDLE DRIVE AND FEED CONTROL DEVICE Serge Senglet, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to Societe Genevcise dlnstruments de Physique, Geneva, Switzerland, a firm of Switzerland Application December 12, 1945, Serial No. 634,589 In Switzerland December 22, 1944 The object of the present invention is a machine tool spindle drive and feed control device. This device comprises a first gear-box coupled operatively with the axial displacement sleeve in which. the machine tool spindle is revolvable, a

second gear-box coupled operatively with the rotary drive means of said spindle, coupling gear between driven shaft of second gear-box and driving shaft of first gear-box, first and second gearbox sliding gears shifting cams with common intermittent driv and change-over clutch, rotary indexes operatively connected with said cams, contacting means controlling driving motors of said common cam drive and change-over clutch, and interlocking means of said contacting means.

This device comprises also a relay gear-box between said second gear box and its operating cam, the latter actuating a single sliding gear whose shaft is operatively connected with a shifting lever of the second gear-box sliding gears, said single sliding gear being apt to be brought in mesh by its cam alternatively with three adjacent gears, the central one of which is stationary while the outer ones are driven in opposite directions by said change-over clutch driving motor. The annexed drawing represents by way of exampl and schematically an embodiment of the invention as applied to a drilling machine. Fig. 1 is a general view partially in section, and Fig. 2 shows a detail.

The working spindle 2 of the drilling machine rotates in a sleeve l which can be moved axially. The motor l5 drives two gear boxes, the first of which controlling the feed of the spindle and the second on its rotation speed. The second one comprises a shaft coupled to that of the motor i5 and on which are fixed three gear wheels I I, I2

and I3, cooperating with the three gearings 8, 9

' and I of the sliding gear I. The shaft, on which -the latter slides, controls the rotation of the spindle through bevel gears and 4. The shaft of the sliding gear 1 further comprises a helical gear I9 acting through the shaft 28 on a helical "gear 21,22, which rotates the shaft 23 of the first gear box. This shaft carries the three gear wheels 24, 25 and 26 cooperating with the three gearings of the sliding gear 28, the shaft of which produces the feed of the spindle by means of the gear wheel 29 and the rack 30, carried by the sleeve l. The control board, supposed to be situated at a certain distance from the spindle of the drilling .machine, comprises six control members, i. e. cutvout switches I? and I8, 48 and 91, 98 and I04,

which control the three motors i5, 46 and 10.

The motor 46 can alternately actuate the first 3 Claims. (Cl. 74-325) cam 31 which directly controls the sliding gear 28 and the second cam 8| which controls the sliding gear 1 through a sliding pinion 56; the latter cooperates with the three wheels 58, 59 and 60; the wheel 59 is fixed and the two wheels 58 and 60 can rotate in opposite directions to each other under the action of an operating member formed by'the rotary shaft 65. This shaft, which is driven by the motor 10, also comprises a cam 13, controlling the axial displacements of a pin-wheel -4l 42 cooperating alternately 1 with two Maltesian-crosses ill and 19 in order to alternately couple the motor 46 with the two cams 31 and 8|.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: In order to start or to stop the motor l5, the operator uses the switches l1 and I8. If he desires to alter the rotary speed of the spindle, he

acts on the switch 9|, which, acting itself on the contactor ll, starts the motor 10.

To simplify matters, the electric circuits, which do not show anything new, shall not be described in detail. The motor 10, when rotating, drives by means of the pinions 69 and 61 the operating member, i. e. the shaft 66, which leaves its initial position. Its rotation continues up to the moment when the projection 68 pushes the plunger 92 of the cut-out switch 93, which will stop the motor l0 and re-establish the circuit between the contacts 94 and 95, excite the contactor 41 and start the motor 46, which drives by means of the pinions 44 and 45 the plate 42 of the Maltesian-cross change-over clutch (see also Fig. 2).

The cam 13, by rotating with the shaft 66, acts on the finger 14 of a lever 15 pivoting about 16 and which will move the plate 42 towards the left by means of the finger Tl. This plate will drive through its pin 4| the follower 19 of the Maltesian-cross and will cause a stepwise rotation of the shaft 80. The second cam 8!, dependent on the shaft 80, embodies a groove 82, the contours of which correspond to the successive positions to be taken by the sliding pinion 56 in order that in its successive movements, the range of speeds of the second gear box is progressively formed. The cam 8| acts on the sliding pinion 56 by means of a crank lever 84 pivoting about 85; the

sliding pinion 56'may engage either with the wheel 58 which derives its rotary motions from the shaft 66 through the bevel pinions 63 and 64, or with the fixed wheel 59 fastened by means of the pin 62, or finally with the wheel 60, which derives its rotary motion from the shaft 65, in a sense opposite to 58, by means of the shaft BI and the bevel pinions 64 and 65.

The sliding pinion 56 moves axially the sliding gear 'I of the second gear box by means of the shaft 55 fitted with a key 51, the bevel pinions 53 and 54, the shaft 52 and the arm 5| shifting in 50 the sliding gear I. The latter travels over a distance necessary for passing from the meshing of 8 and H to the meshing of 9 and [2. The sliding gear 1 has to travel over equal distances to pass from the meshing 9l2 to the meshing 8Il or ll3.

Let us suppose that, at the time of operation, all the parts are in a position as shown on Fig. l. The rotation of the operating member 66 causes the pinion 60 to revolve through such an angle that the sliding gear '1, when reaching its central position, will cause 9 and I2 to mesh; in the same time, the rotation of 65 leading the cam 13 will bring the plate 42 in opposition to 19 and, at the end of the rotation of 66, 68 acting on 92, will cause the motor 45 to start, which in its turn will cause a stepwise rotation of the cam 8| owing to the Maltesian-cross clutch. The

cam is connected to an index 93, visible from the control board, by means of pinions 81 and 88, as well as by means of the shaft 89. This index will begin to rotate, also stepwise, on a circular scale, not shown, bearing indications as to the various rotary speeds of the spindle 2. The index stops for a moment on each of the indications, in

i order to give the operator time to stop it definitely at the required speed, by releasing in due time the cut-out switch 8|. Exactly at this moment, the motor 45, as well as the index 90 and the cam 8! stop, the contactor i2 is excited and the motor it begins to rotate in a sense opposite to its previous rotation and will keep running until the projection 51 pushes the plunger 96 of the cut-out switch 9?, which causes the motor 10 to stop, the shaft 66 having again taken its initial position.

According to the position of the cam 8!, when it stops, three possibilities may arise:

In the first case, when the sliding pinion 56 has come back to the position in which it was at th beginning of the operators action; it therefore engages again with 65. The reversed rotation of the motor ll! cancels the travel caused by its previous rotation and the sliding gear I returns to the position previously occupied, as shown on the drawing; 8 and I! are again in mesh.

In the second case, 56 has come to engage with the fixed pinion 59, the reversed rotation of 10 has no eflect on 56 and the sliding gear I stays in its central position, 9 and I2 remaining in mesh.

In the third case, the cam 8! has brought 56 in mesh with 58 which still rotates in a sense opposite to 60. The reversed rotation of the motor acting on a pinion, the action of which is in itself inverted, will effect a travel of I in the same direction as that brought about by the first rotation of the motor; the sliding gear 1 will'move away still further from the position indicated in the drawing and ID will engage with [3.

It is clear that it is possible, by using this process, to actuate several sliding gears 1; in this case, it will be sufficient to provide several groups of pieces 56, 55, d, 53 and El, arranged for example in a circle around the wheels 58, 59 and 60, and each controlled by its cam.

It is also possible by making the necessary electric connections (which have not been shown in the drawing to prevent overburdening), to make provision that the action of the cut-out 9|, in

, addition to the one described, begins to stop the motor IS in such a manner that it automatically starts again as soon as the action on 9| ceases.

Thus, the second operating member, the shaft 65, always starts from a basic position for effecting the speed changes of the spindle and automatically returns to that position as soon as the operator has ceased to press on the cut-out 9|. In this basic position, the plate 42 can only operate the Maltesian-cross 40.

If it is required to eifect a change of the spindle feed, the operator presses on another control member, the cut-out 48 of the control board, which will start the motor 46 causing the rotation of the plate 42 and the stepwise rotation of the Maltesian-cross 40. The latter mounted idle on the shaft 88, drives the first cam 37 and the feed index 49 by means of the bevel pinions 38 and 39. The cam 31 shows a sinuous groove 35 in which the end 35 of a lever 33 pivoting about 34 is engaged, the opposite end of said lever shifting in .3! and 32 the sliding gear 28 of the first gear box.

The index 39, rotating stepwise on a dial not shown on which th various feeds available are indicated, stops for a while on each of them, to enable the operator to release the cut-out 48 in time in order to remain on the feed attained by the index.

It may also be useful in certain cases to bring about by the action of the telecontrol a disconnection between the spindle 2 and the motor l5. This operation will find its application, for example, when it is required to turn the spindle by hand in order to stop it in a position suitable for exchanging the tools which it carries or for any other purpose. This additional action can be obtained by providing a cut-out H10, on which the projection 68 of the wheel 6'! will act before reaching the cut-out 93. Thus, the shaft 66 will be able to travel onls over half of its normal range, and will therefore bring the sliding gear 1 halfway between the pinions of the shaft M. No meshing whatsoever will therefore be possible in the second gear box and the spindle 2 will be disconnected from the motor I5.

In order to realise this additional combination, it will be necessary to provide on the control board two additional cut-outs 93 and 104, the first one serving to bring about the disconnection and the second one for the re-engagement of the spindle. The cut-outs H18, 58 and Hi l, with their electrical connection for the engagement or the disengagement of the spindle, are shown on the drawing. When the spindle is disconnected, a pilot lamp H13 warns the operator.

The embodiment represented uses two diiferent ways to operate the gear changes according to the gear box utilised. For the first gear box which is responsible for the rate of feed of the spindle, the transmitted power is small and, therefore, the gear wheels are small and the corresponding travel of the sliding gear 28 is short. An ordinary cam 3! may be sufiicient to operate the travel of the sliding gear.

Conditions are diiferent in the case of the gear box controlling the rotation of the spindle, and which has to transmit the full power of the motor [5; its gear wheels are sturdy and the travel of the sliding gear I is longer. For this reason, it is advisable to use an operating member, the shaft 66, playing the part of a relay for operating its motion. The invention is not limited to the case schematically shown on the drawing; particularly, it is not necessary for the energy source for operating the settings to be of electric nature.

it is possible to use pneumatic or hydraulic means for the same purpose.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine tool spindle drive and feed control device, a sleeve in which the machine tool spindle is revolvable, axial displacement means for said sleeve, a first gear box coupled operatively with said axial displacement means, said first gear box comprising a sliding gear and a driving shaft, rotary drive means for said spindle, a second gear-box coupled operatively with said rotary drive means, said second gear box comprising a sliding gear and a driven shaft, coupling gear between said driven shaft of second gear-box and said driving shaft of first gear-box, first and second cams intended to shift respectively first and second gear-box sliding gears, two Maltesian crosses each operatively connected with one of said cams, an axially movable pin-wheel cooperating alternatively with said Maltesian crosses, a first motor driving said pin-wheel, a second motor controlling the axial displacements of said pin-wheel, rotary indexes operatively connected with said cams, and contacting means controlling said motors.

2. In a machine tool spindle drive and feed control device, a sleeve in which the machine tool spindle is revolvable, axial displacement means for said sleeve, a first gear box coupled operatively with said axial displacement means, said first gear box comprising a sliding gear and a driving shaft, rotary drive means for said spindle, a second gear-box coupled operatively with said rotary drive means, said second gear-box comprising a sliding gear and a driven shaft, coupling gear between said driven shaft of second gear-box and said driving shaft of first gear-box, first and second cams intended to shift respectively first and second gear-box sliding gears, two Maltesiancrosses each operatively connected with one of said cams, an axially movable pin-wheel cooperating alternatively with said Maltesian crosses, a first motor driving said pin-wheel, a second motor controlling the axial displacements of said pin-wheel, rotary indexes operatively connected with said cams, contacting means controlling said motors, a relay gear-box between said second gear-box and its operating cam, a single sliding gear actuated by said second cam, a shifting lever of the second gear-box sliding gear operatively connected with said single sliding gear, three adjacent gears with which said Single sliding gear is apt to be brought alternatively in mesh by said second cam, the central gear of said three adjacent gears being stationary while the outer ones are driven in opposite directions by said second motor.

3. In a machine tool spindle drive and feed control device, a sleeve in which the machine tool spindle is revolvable, axial displacement means for said sleeve, a first gear box coupled operatively with said axial displacement means, said first gear box comprising a sliding gear and a driving shaft, rotary drive means for said spindle, a second gear-box coupled operatively with said rotary drive means, said second gear box comprising 'a sliding gear and a driven shaft, coupling gear between said driven shaft of second gear-box and said driving shaft of first gear-box, first and second cams intended to shift respectively first and second gear-box sliding gears, two Maltesian crosses each operatively connected with one of said cams, an axially movable pin-wheel cooperating alternatively with said Maltesian crosses, a first motor driving said pin-wheel, a second motor controlling the axial displacements of said pin-wheel, rotary indexes operatively connected with said cams, contacting means controlling said motors, an additional contacting means interlocked with the above-mentioned ones, whereby the second gear-box sliding gears are stopped in idling position.

SERGE SENGLET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,492,069 Hunt et al. Apr. 29, 1924 I 1,527,247 Bouillon Feb. 24, 1925 1,588,004 Blood June 8, 1926 

